'Big' John McCarthy reacts to the upcoming Jorge Masvidal vs Gilbert Burns fight
After Jorge Masvidal vs. Gilbert Burns was made official earlier this week, 'Big' John McCarthy discussed the intriguing matchup and insisted that it wasn't a "good fight" for one of the competitors.
'Durinho' put on a grappling clinic last time out and completely dominated a tough Neil Magny before finding an arm-triangle submission choke with less than a minute remaining in the first round. This was the first time the Brazilian has entered the octagon since his decision defeat against Khamzat Chimaev last year.
During a recent episode of the 'Weighing In' podcast, John McCarthy explained how Jorge Masvidal could have a hard time fighting against someone of Gilbert Burns' caliber at this stage of his career, saying:
"Out of all the fights that Gilbert Burns was gonna take, why would you take it against a guy that's got multiple losses coming into it?... I know that Gilbert has feelings about Masvidal, there's been words between the two and stuff, [but] this is not a good fight for Masvidal. Just saying it, this is not a good fight for Masvidal at all."
McCarth further said:
"Look at what Gilbert Burns did in his last fight. People will say what they want, but Neil Magny is a good fighter. He is a solid guy... They're in two complete different planes as far as where their careers are. Fun fight to watch, but if you're a Masvidal fan, you look and you go, 'You should not be in that fight.'"
Gilbert Burns is desperately trying to fight his way into title contention and beating a man of Masvidal's stature could well see him position himself next in line to fight for UFC welterweight gold.
Check out what John McCarthy had to say about the scheduled 170lb war in the video below.
Jorge Masvidal's poor form inside the octagon
Despite being one of the biggest names in the sport, Jorge Masvidal currently finds himself without a win since his huge BMF title victory against Nate Diaz all the way back in 2019.
If 'Gamebred' intends to one day settle his differences with Leon Edwards or compete for the welterweight strap, he must put his poor performances behind him and recapture the form that earned him multiple shots at UFC gold.
He gets the chance to rejuvenate his career when he meets the always-dangerous Gilbert Burns as the co-headliner at UFC 287 held at the Barclays Center in New York on April 8.